Wanted
by Caranath
Summary: Laura Hardy doesn't want much, really.  POV series.


**A/n: **

_So, finally we have Mom's take. I hope I have done Laura Hardy justice _

_yeah, BTW, these aren't mine in any way shape or form. I only fiddle around with them once in a while. Franklin W Dixon in all his incarnations is the lucky one in that regard. _

**Wanted**

Laura Hardy was pacing the length of the baggage claim area keeping a close eye on the carousel that would hopefully be regurgitating her luggage soon when she heard a familiar voice call her name. Turning around, she saw Con Riley striding towards her purposefully. Giving her a perfunctory hug, he asked how her flight had been.

"Long but at least there were no delays along the way" she smiled at him. She was not at all surprised to find him there, knowing from (all too much) past experience that she needn't have worried about being met at the airport in situations like this.

She sighed. Situations like this happened all too damn frequently. Made worse by the fact that she had the Triple Threat of her husband and two sons to deal with. At any given time any combination of the men in her life could be in mortal peril. It was a wonder she didn't have more grey than she did.

While she and Con waited for the luggage to be spat out, she dialed her elder son's cell phone and got his voice mail. She figured he'd still be at the hospital hovering for her by proxy and his phone would be turned off, so she just left a quick "Hi, Honey, I am here. Con is with me and I will be by as soon as we leave the airport. Be there soon. Love you both."

Con had no new updates past the latest news she had, that Joe had had surgery earlier that afternoon. So they passed the time chitchatting about Laura's curtailed trip to Hawai'i. "Joe was so right, it is beautiful there. I wish I could have stayed the entire 2 weeks. I think I shall make him take me back just to make up for the fact that I cut this one short."

The luggage began tumbling down the automated belt and Con made his way to the edge and quickly grabbed Laura's paisley suitcase and ushered her out into the chilly evening and to his patrol car. "Better than a Limo" she joked. "Nuthin' but the best for you, My Lady" he replied with a hint of a smile but in earnest.

The drive to the hospital was short and uneventful. Con dropped her off at the entrance, saying "I will drop your things off at the house and drive your car back here before tomorrow morning." he knew without asking that she would be spending the night and that she would force Frank to get some real rest, thus effectively stranding her. Laura smile her thanks and asked "Has anyone been able to contact Fenton? I know these deep cover assignments are supposed to be exactly that, but I'd like him here if all possible."

Con Promised to relay the request to Chief Collig and the FBI liaison in charge of the investigation. With a final thanks and a wave goodbye, Laura found herself once again at the Gates of Hell, aka Bayport General Hospital's Emergency room entrance. One upon a time, she toyed with the idea of becoming a Nurse herself. But all that changed when she met the charming Fenton Hardy. She knew then and there that she could never cope with being on duty if he or any of his fellow Police Officers were brought in. Sometimes you just cannot separate work and family well enough.

Laura barely slowed as she walked past the Information desk with a wave of acknowledgement to the Candy striper manning the phone. She knew all too well where to go. The elevator was waiting for her and she quickly arrived at her second home, the ICU. Mandy Keller came around the Nurse's Station and fell in beside her as she walked down to the end of the ward. "Laura, he's showing some signs of coming out of it, but it will probably be tomorrow before he is responsive. I'll let Frank bring you up to speed, he's just come back from meeting with Drs. Taylor and Yang." Laura smiled at her in thanks and pushed open the heavy metal door with a creak.

She didn't even make it all the way into the room before Frank was crushing her in his lean but muscular arms. "Oof. Can't breathe, dear." Hastily letting go, Frank apologized as he led her deeper into the room and sat her down on that blasted ugly chair that she loathed. She made a mental note to ask Frank to bring the cushion from her sewing room back with her in the morning as she had _every _intention of forcibly kicking her eldest offspring _out_ of the hospital for the night. It was her shift tonight. "Tell me." she said simply.

Frank began by relating the events that led to his brother's current condition. "We aren't even on a case!" he anguished. "It was just some stupid kid trying to rob a couple and we walked right into it. We distracted the kid enough for the couple to get away but I guess he had friends cuz alluvasudden we had company." Frank stopped and brought tear filled eyes up to look his mother straight in her own shining eyes. "I was so busy making sure the couple got away I never saw the gun. Joe pushed me down and took the full force of the discharge. Three times Mom.. He was shot three times. It should have been _me._" Frank's composure finally shattered under the strain and Laura spent a good fifteen minutes comforting her eldest child.

(_What am I supposed to say to that? _) she wondered. Try and tell him that he would have done the same if the situation was reversed? That went without saying. She had always been proud of the fact that her children never subscribed to sibling rivalry and had seldom really fought over anything. She was eternally grateful that they never been your typical siblings, having listened to one too many bitch sessions by her friends who also had more than one son close in age as it seemed they were always at odds.. sports, girls, you name it. But her boys were the best of friends and were never afraid to defend each other no matter what the cost.

But this time, Frank was not to be consoled, nor would he listen to reason. "If he never walks again it will be my fault, Mom. All those years I spent yelling at him to pay more attention to his surroundings, and I am the one who failed to do as I preached. And he pays the price."

At that, Laura took her son's tearstained face between her hands and forced him to look at her. "That is **enough **young man. I will NOT have you beating yourself up over this. What is done is done. I learned long ago that that serves no purpose whatsoever. What your brother needs most of all is for you to be strong for him and to be by his side as he recovers; no matter how much or little he does. Understood?" this last came out in sort of a growl that let Frank know this was one of those rare occasions that she would not be challenged. Laura Hardy had Laid Down the Law and he suddenly felt like he was 6 again and being grounded for some indiscretion.

Laura nodded, satisfied at the acceptance in Frank's eyes. "Good. Now you are to ." She raised a well manicured forefinger at his imminent protest. "My turn to keep vigil. You need a shower, a shave and a decent meal. What will your brother say when he wakes up and sees you looking worse than he does, hmm?" Frank almost but not quite smiled at that and conceded defeat. With a promise to return late tomorrow morning with the cushion and a change of clothes for her, Frank kissed his mother goodbye before sparing one last lingering glance at his brother.

Soon after, Mandy came in to check Joe's vitals and stayed a a few minutes to chat with Laura as once again the ward was mostly empty and Linda had everything under control. She assured Laura that the surgery had indeed gone very well and the prognosis was very good. Neither woman mentioned the "P" word though. Laura was content to take each stage as it came and right now she was focusing only on Joe regaining consciousness. As Mandy took her leave, she mentioned that she would not be back for several hours unless the alarms went off. Laura nodded and said "Thanks, Mandy. You are definitely on the Christmas card list this year."

"Does it come with your homemade fudge?" Mandy asked hopefully. " A double batch, just for the Ward. Promise." Laura laughed. Mandy grinned at that before returning to her duties.

The night passed by quietly and slowly. Laura's butt soon became numb but she ignored it as she assumed her rightful place at the very edge of Joe's bed. His blond hair was messy and she tried vainly to smooth the slightly wavy locks. "I suppose I should be grateful that it took you almost a year after coming home before getting yourself into a mess. But did you have to do it while I was in Honolulu, dear?" she sighed as she stroked his cheek.

Only now, when she was utterly alone with no expectation of interruption, did Laura Hardy allow her composure to break. She allowed the tears to fall freely, even indulging in a few sobs now and then. She got it all out of her system as she knew once morning broke she would need to once again be the strong one. She rarely admitted to herself, let alone anyone else, that Joe was her favorite. Of course she would have been the first to vehemently proclaim the love she had for her boys was equal and without measure, and she wouldn't be wrong to do so. But Joe... Joe was Fenton in every aspect save looks. Frank favored his father in that regard, but her younger son was Fenton reincarnated in temperament and personality. Watching her blond firestorm grow up was like seeing in reruns all those stories Gertrude used to tell about Fenton's youth. It was times like this, late at night, when the face on the pillow blurred and shifted between that of her son and that of her husband. It was her very deepest fear, something she could not articulate even if she tried.

"Please wake up, darling." She whispered into his ear. "I'm not ready to let you go just yet." Laura knew that someday she would lose all of them, and she also knew that it would most likely be violently. She had _almost _come to terms with losing Fenton when he had his heart attack.. But ever since then she had clung a little tighter to her husband at night. 25 years was barely enough time together. She was selfish enough to want more. A lot more. And she wanted to share that time equally between all of the men in her life. She wanted grandchildren. She wanted to grow old and grey(er) watching them grow up, spending Christmas and Fourth of July in large family gatherings full of love and laughter. She wanted Joe to find someone he could love as much as he did Iola. She wanted Frank to shed his reluctance to commit and find someone who could be strong enough to be a PI's wife.

She wanted...her son to live.

**Tbc...**

**A/n:** _ so there ya have it. Joe's contribution is next but it's gonna be a long one so may take a few extra days. He rambles a lot. pretty sure he has ADHD. question for you all... should I do one for dear ole dad too? I have the merest kernel of an idea but not sure I can flesh it out to my satisfaction. but I will try if there is interest. Caranath_


End file.
